Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-23
NORTH STATE.
NEWS GATHERED HERE AND THERE
IN RALEIGH.
noa,h Of Prominent Citixen-rao Board
Of Agriculture Residences Burn
ed-Earrow Escape.
rspocia, telegram to the pispssch.I

waa drunk and asleep on the track.
The Knights of Labor have nOmi-
mated a ticket for mayor and aldermen
az AshevIlle.
The residence Of J. +. Woody, re-
Gently member of. the Legislature, in
Person comfy, has been burned, with
ihe entire contents. The loss is quite
besvy. The family barely escaped with
their lives.
THB AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
The gentlemen composing the Board
of Agriculture have had ar1uOus work
before them at the present meeting.
The law enacted by the late Legislature
reducing the annual appropriation or
allowance to the department 10 $4,000
does not 90 into effect until November
lst next, but mean while there must be
economy, so that the department can
be on firm footing, with all indebted
ness removed, when its smaller income
begins. Last season eighty-five licenses
for the sale of fertilizers were issued (;
this season only sixty-nine have besn
issued, bringing in only S3i, 800. Out
Of this sum 81, 600 has to be devoted to
tho Bureau Of Labor Statistics and
some 81, 600 for the oyster survey. The
reduction in the number of brands of
fertilizers sold further tends to make
retrenchment necessity. The failure
to receive the Sl5, 900 under the provi-
sions of the bill introduced by Mr..
Hatch, of Missouri, in Congress is o
further setback so reduction Of ex-
penses, a Topping off here and there,
became an absolute necessity.
FARMERS INSTITUTES.
In Mississippi the plan Of holding
farmers institutes, for the dissemina-
ton of information in regard to agri-
cultural matters is reported to work
wonderfully well, and it is said that as
many as 1000 or $500 persons fire.
quently attend one of them. This plan
will probably be tried in this State in a
very practical and effective way. 1T Is
claimed to be the most satisfactory way
of disseminating such information all
over State.
AGRICULTURAL CLUBS.
In some counties agricultural clubs
are already quite popular, and in others
they are being established. They
arouse q good deal of interest and di-
rect thought into new channels. 1t is
said there are over 200 such clubs in
The State at present.
STORMS AND FIRES.
The recent cyclonein Chatham coun-
ty was much more disastrous than at
first reported. 1t wrecked, so far as
heard from, over dozen buildings, but
as yet no loss of life is reported. Two
young daughters Of Mr.. Neal Knight
were hurt, but not seriously.
Reports from the country on the up
per waters of Black river, in Ponder
county, are to the effect that great
stretchesof timber and turpentine wood
have been destroyed by fire, and land
owners have in consequence suffered
large pecuniary losses.
CURRENT NEWS NOTES.
The city of Raleigh has received
proposition looking to the installation
OF q system Ol sewerage.
1t is stated that the Oxford Orphan
Asylum is Just now in pressing need of
funds.
The State University will be under
special obligations to Virginia this year
for both orator and preacher at the com
mencement, as Rev. James Il. Wilson is
to preach the baccalaureate sermon and
Hon. John Goode is TO deliver the an
nual address before the Phi. and Di.
literary societies.
The official reports place the cost of
he penitentiary to this date at 1886
G90.G4. The first appropriation was
mad in lS68-'G9, and was 100000.
The Total Of special taxes and appro-
priations from 1860 TO 1S78-'70 was
81, Oi9, 558.05, and of appropriations
from tie treasury from the latter date
to the present 1887, 1859.
1t is said that the Mormon elders
have been literally kicked out of Bun
combe and Henderson counties.
The Board of Agriculture has ac-
cepted Professor Joseph A. Holiness
report on the geology of the State. It
IL compiled from the late Professor W.
G. Kerr's notes for twenty years, and
will be q publication at once valuable
and complies.
Acknowledgement Davidson advises
the Board Of Agriculture that the tax
on fertilizers is tax for police pur-
poses, and thus on an entirely different
footing from that on drummers.
Director Frank l.. Reid, of the peni-
Tertiary, publishes full statement Of
the recent mutiny of convicts. The
account is substantially that published
in the Dispatch, the facts having been
furnished your correspondent by Mr.,
Reid.
The Board of Directors of the State
Agricultural and Mechanical College
this evening adODted resolution set
ting forth that the way is clear to make
beginning in the establishment OF a
systematic plan and to erect buildings.
The entire matter is left to q committee
of five to be appointed tomorrow.
This committee will employ an archi-
tect to arrange for the construction of
buildings and to look after the financial
matters.
The Board of Agriculture held long
session this evening. John Robinson,
of Wadesboro', Arson county, was
elected Commissioner of Agriculture
rice Montford McGehee. Robinson
has for some years been a member of
the board. Thomas X. Bruner, of Sails
bury, was elected secretary. He has
been filling that position temporarily
since last autumn.
Found Drowned.
Especial telegram TO the Dispatoh.I